Trailblazers
The 2026 Trailblazers in Economic Development
Notable New Yorkers who are in the business of creating jobs
City & State presents the 2026 Trailblazers in Economic Development. KC Kratt Photography; Garment District Alliance; Leslie Kahan
In politics, the mantra of “jobs, jobs, jobs” is shared on both sides of the aisle. Candidates running for elected office often flourish or flail depending on the state of the economy. On Labor Day of 1981, President Ronald Reagan unveiled an economic recovery program by saying, “Let me make our goal in this program very clear: jobs, jobs, jobs, and more jobs.” Just over a decade later, with the United States once again in a recession, James Carville, an adviser to then-Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton, coined the phrase that it’s “the economy, stupid.” This week, as voters cast their ballots in the midterm elections, inflation and the cost of living are top of mind for many voters – and these issues could swing many key races.
City & State’s annual Trailblazers in Economic Development takes a closer look at some of the most notable job creation efforts underway in New York – and puts a spotlight on the individuals behind these efforts. This list includes important policymakers, strategists, business leaders and other notable New Yorkers who are in the business of creating jobs, jobs, jobs.
Yash Acharya
Yash Acharya has plenty of experience modernizing government operations. The KPMG executive leads the professional services firm’s U.S. State, Local, and Education Corporate Services practice and oversees its New York City finance and administration work, including a transition to a cloud enterprise resource planning system and the transformation of the city’s emergency management system. He has also centralized finance, human resources, procurement and budgeting into a single operating platform. Acharya has also transformed statewide procurement operations, achieving significant savings.
Richard Acosta
Richard Acosta is bringing innovation into the delivery of workforce development programs. He has launched Pathways for Access to Careers and Employment programs in Brooklyn and the Bronx for Grant Associates, a workforce development organization. PACE is a New York City-funded workforce development program designed to help people explore career paths in growing industries. He is also leading Grant Associates’ initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into the workforce development programs and practice, as part of the national conversation on AI in workforce development.
Phil Andrews
Phil Andrews is supporting minority- and women-owned businesses by boosting their participation in government procurement and in the New York City business community. Andrews this year launched the New York City Minority Small Business Chamber of Commerce, with the goal of offering networking and business growth opportunities to members by improving access to capital and connecting with the government procurement pipeline. Andrews is also a longtime leader of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce and a past president of the 100 Black Men of Long Island.
Jamie Ansorge
Jamie Ansorge focuses on projects that spur economic growth. Ansorge, an attorney at the Top 10 lobbying firm Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, advises trade associations, business improvement districts and corporations, including multinational consumer brands, tech firms and healthcare institutions as they expand and create jobs. He helped launch New York Robotics, an association that aims to make New York City a destination for robotics talent and investment, and recently helped Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center secure land use approvals for a new $2.3 billion hospital.
April Arnzen
Micron Technology is investing up to $100 billion in its new semiconductor site outside Syracuse, and April Arnzen is making sure Central New Yorkers benefit. Arnzen, a top company executive and president of the Micron Foundation, oversees a $50 million community initiative, which includes education and workforce development projects to build the workforce of the future. Among the community investments is support for the Syracuse STEAM High School and the opening of Onondaga Community College’s Micron Cleanroom Simulation Lab.
April Baskin
April Baskin was an economic development leader long before she became chair of the state Senate Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business Committee in January. When she was in the Erie County Legislature, Baskin helped revitalize the former Bethlehem Steel site in Lackawanna and pushed for the new Buffalo Bills stadium to meet a goal of 30% minority- and women-owned business participation. This year, Baskin secured $30 million to build homes on vacant lots across upstate and passed legislation to provide tax credits for hard-to-develop properties and for fan-friendly concession pricing.
Matthew Bauer
Business is booming on Madison Avenue, thanks in part to Matthew Bauer. In the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District’s 29-block corridor – described as the “nation’s longest stretch of luxury” – the vacancy rate is below 5% and the neighborhood has welcomed 23 stores, restaurants and galleries this year, including Falconeri, Pasquale Bruni and the restaurant Marcel at Sotheby’s. Bauer, who has led the BID since 1999, has held events that benefited Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 92NY, the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Scholarship Fund and CaringKind.
Barbara Blair
Barbara Blair is a leading advocate for the Garment District, one of Manhattan’s most iconic neighborhoods. She spearheaded the Garment District Alliance’s push for zoning changes to allow for residential conversions, just the latest local rezoning she has witnessed. Amid plans to transform Penn Station and the Port Authority Bus Terminal, she’s working with the New York City Department of Transportation to reimagine the portion of Eighth Avenue between the two transit hubs. Blair also co-chairs the Midtown Community Improvement Coalition in partnership with City Hall and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Nate Bliss
Nate Bliss sees himself as a strategic partner in the economic development process. He launched the real estate investment and advisory firm Latent Urban Ventures this year to coordinate and advance projects. Bliss also launched Latent.nyc, a data-driven platform that identifies development potential from zoning, regulatory and market change. Bliss brings a deep resume to the job, having served as chief of staff to the New York City deputy mayor for housing, economic development and workforce, and he worked on some of the most impactful projects in the city.
Jackson Block
Jackson Block is getting more LGBTQ+ individuals involved as investors in the venture capital space, while also making sure that funding reaches LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs via networking events to connect funders with founders. LGBT+ VC has reached over 3,600 individuals across more than 350 firms in the venture capital ecosystem. Block has been an evangelist for the burgeoning LGBTQ+ investment universe, speaking at the New York Stock Exchange and being recognized by Gov. Kathy Hochul, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and state Sen. Erik Bottcher.
Christopher Bruno
Christopher Bruno joined New York Law School last year with the mission to turbocharge the Tribeca economy. Bruno has hit the ground running, helping to revitalize the Tribeca Alliance Merchants Association and developing the One Tribeca economic development initiative. Bruno obtained $200,000 from the New York City Department of Small Business Services for both projects. One Tribeca is a broad strategic economic plan, involving the development of a new business improvement district and connecting NYLS resources to small businesses. Bruno was previously an economic development chief in Fairfax, Virginia.
David Burman
David Burman doesn’t see plots of land simply as they are; he envisions what they can become. Burman, who handles deal analysis, acquisitions, project planning and development at B2K Development, transformed a 6-acre oceanfront property in Long Beach, Nassau County, into the mixed-use Long Beach Superblock development. Burman guided the project through the land use process and partnered with architects on resort-style amenities for residents. The $360 million project is almost fully leased, has full parking onsite and includes a variety of restaurants.
Marco Carrión
Marco Carrión has revitalized the Consortium for Worker Education, the workforce development arm of the New York City Central Labor Council, a union umbrella group. He brings a worker-centered approach to workforce development and advancing economic mobility pathways that promote dignity and opportunities for working families. He is expanding efforts to create worker cooperatives, for which he has obtained city support. Carrión was previously executive director of El Puente, political director of the Central Labor Council and commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit in the de Blasio administration.
Eva Chertow-Spence
Eva Chertow-Spence is the yeast making the dough rise at Hot Bread Kitchen. She has created new programs and partnerships for the workforce development nonprofit, including its award-winning Management Training Institute, which has upskilled 54 new managers since last year. She launched the Front of House training program, which has run seven cohorts since 2024. Chertow-Spence oversees job placement for Hot Bread Kitchen graduates to jobs in the food and beverage industry across New York City, including at Convene Hospitality Group and Union Square Hospitality Group.
Terence Cho
Terence Cho is rejuvenating Battery Park City. Cho, who oversees the 92-acre Battery Park City Authority’s real estate holdings, recently closed a leasing extension for Brookfield Place, which unlocked $1.9 billion in value, including $1.5 billion for affordable housing. He executed the Gateway Plaza transaction, which preserved rent protection for hundreds of units. He closed the former Ritz Carlton hotel deal in 2024, with a reopening set for 2027. The Empire State Development alum has unlocked new affordable housing by closing lease amendments for Tribeca Park and Tribeca Bridge Tower.
Ariana Cipriani
Ariana Cipriani is driving efforts to expand the boundaries of the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance to encompass more of Hell’s Kitchen above 42nd Street, coordinating outreach with business and community leaders in the neighborhood to better understand local needs and how the business improvement district can help them. She is planning the third annual Hell’s Kitchen Culture Crawl, a weeklong event combining the power of local culture with the flavors of the restaurant scene. She oversees over 200 free events across the BID and at Bella Abzug Park.
Marc Cohen
Marc Cohen makes sure that state and local leaders understand and support projects that drive economic growth. Cohen, a vice president at the top 20 lobbying firm O’Donnell & Associates, is championing the redevelopment of First Federal Plaza in Rochester, reinvestment in the Hyatt Regency Rochester and innovative homeownership initiatives with Cook Properties. He also backs battery storage projects and funding for nonprofit organizations. Cohen, who cut his teeth as chief of staff at the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, serves on the board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester.
Justin Driscoll
Justin Driscoll is leading the New York Power Authority into the nuclear age. Driscoll is tasked with implementing Gov. Kathy Hochul’s ambitious energy agenda, including developing a nuclear power plant upstate. A new plant would be an immediate economic game changer, providing additional emissions-free electricity for the state, along with creating immediate jobs in the region. Driscoll already manages a massive public utility system, with 17 generating facilities and 1,550 circuit-miles of transmission lines. This summer, Driscoll helped to open the new Smart Path Connect power transmission project in Massena.
Suri Duitch
Suri Duitch brings workforce development expertise to the presidency of Kingsborough Community College. She has been improving workforce outcomes for students and cultivating partnerships with employers and communities throughout Brooklyn. Duitch has also seen CUNY invest $5.6 million into the college’s career-connected learning program. Duitch is launching an Academy for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and recently opened a new center to support immigrant student success. Prior to joining KCC’s Manhattan Beach campus, Duitch helped to found CUNY’s School of Professional Studies and the CUNY Service Corps.
Cindy Estrada
Cindy Estrada is a staunch advocate for Latino business owners and entrepreneurs across the five boroughs. Estrada, who started her own business at the age of 19, has run the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2015. She recently served on the state Gaming Facility Location Board and voted to confirm three licenses for new downstate casinos. Estrada has also advocated for the state to bring increased transparency to the 340B healthcare program. On her watch, the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has enjoyed significant growth.
Joseph Ferrara
Joseph Ferrara is transforming Coney Island and Staten Island’s North Shore. BFC Partners, where Ferrara is a second-generation leader, developed The Pearl, a 270-unit affordable housing complex partially for formerly unhoused seniors on Staten Island. The firm also developed the borough’s West Brighton Houses in partnership with the New York City Housing Authority. In Brooklyn, the firm transformed the former Bedford Union Armory into the Major R. Owens Health and Wellness Community Center. BFC has also worked on projects in Syracuse and Buffalo.
Nina Flores
Nina Flores is cultivating Staten Island’s economy. Flores, who runs the Staten Island Business Outreach Center, supports entrepreneurs, minority- and women-owned businesses, and thriving commercial corridors across the island. She is implementing an initiative to revitalize Forest and Castleton avenues in West Brighton. Flores also leads the Forest Avenue Business Improvement District, where she is working directly with small businesses on growth programs, beautifying the district and positioning MWBEs for government procurement. She also serves on the New York City Small Business Advisory Commission and the NYC BID Association board.
Kate Goldmann
Kate Goldmann is a driving force on industrial policy at the Real Estate Board of New York, an influential industry organization representing 14,000 members. As the lead for REBNY’s Industrial Committee, Goldmann has focused on the city’s indirect source rule for last-mile warehouses. She also partners with the Five Borough Jobs Campaign to advocate for industrial service providers and local entrepreneurs citywide. Goldmann analyses housing and economic development policy and also manages REBNY’s industrial, housing and landmarks committees.
Tom Grech
Tom Grech is synonymous with business in Queens. Grech, the Queens Chamber of Commerce’s longtime leader, has positioned the borough as a rising sports and entertainment hub that’s the future home of two full-fledged casinos and a professional soccer stadium. This year, he brought hundreds of business leaders to Albany for the annual Queens Day to press state lawmakers on workforce development and economic growth. He also created the Queens Innovation Foundation and has stressed regional economic cooperation by co-chairing the Five Borough Jobs Campaign, which advocates for pro-business legislation.
Lindsay Greene
Lindsay Greene has positioned the 300-acre Brooklyn Navy Yard urban manufacturing campus as the preeminent startup hub in New York City. She expanded Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp.’s Yard Labs piloting program, adding more companies such as waterfront pilots and expanded outreach to minority- and women-owned startups. Greene, a former official at the New York City Economic Development Corp., has also overseen the expansion of the Brooklyn STEAM Center high school, which doubled the number of students, and the creation of the Yard Opportunity Shop, a retail incubator for small MWBEs.
Patrick B. Jenkins
Patrick B. Jenkins is a key name to know at the intersection of government, business and economic development. Jenkins has been a player in the casino industry, paving the way for two casinos in Queens and helping to shape sports betting legislation. The well-connected lobbyist’s clients include the Five Borough Jobs Campaign, Turo, American Chemistry Council, Sports Betting Alliance, American Innovators Network, Workers Compensation Alliance, Real Estate Board of New York, New York University, Genting New York, One Fair Wage and the New York Apartment Association.
Danielle King
Danielle King is growing the North Country economy through TDC, a nonprofit that owns and manages a portfolio of industrial buildings in the Plattsburgh region. King recruits industry players, spurs job growth and advances workforce development initiatives. She secured $1 million to construct a childcare facility in an industrial park and led development of a build-to-suit pharmaceutical warehouse that has facilitated local job growth. She is a former director of the North American Center of Excellence for Transportation Equipment. King was appointed by Gov. Kathy Hochul to the SUNY Plattsburgh University Council this year.
Gary LaBarbera
Gary LaBarbera is a long-serving labor leader who ensures unions have a seat at the table on major construction projects and policies. He has kept building and construction trades unions involved in such key developments as Atlantic Yards, the Gateway rail tunnel, 2 World Trade Center and new JPMorgan Chase & Co. headquarters. He advocates for safety and fair wages, along with maintaining the state’s Scaffold Law, a construction worker safety statute. He negotiated project labor agreements with New York City late last year that included community hiring requirements and, in March, unveiled a mental health initiative for construction workers.
Kevin Law
Kevin Law is a statewide leader in economic development in his role as board chair of Empire State Development while continuing to advance his home region of Long Island. At Tritec Real Estate Co., Law is focused on the family-owned company’s affordable housing programs and advancing development on Long Island. He chairs the Stony Brook University Council and the Long Island Housing Partnership. He previously led the Long Island Association and the Long Island Power Authority, and he has served as Suffolk County chief deputy executive and on the Metropolitan Transportation Association board.
Randy Levine
It’s not just a ballgame. This year, the New York Yankees’ home games in the Bronx were projected to generate a whopping $500 million of economic impact for New York City. A New York City Economic Development Corp. analysis estimated that the New York Yankees, led by President Randy Levine, would continue to spur spending on tickets, concessions and merchandise as well as transportation and lodging. Levine, who’s also of counsel at the law firm Jackson Lewis, is reportedly in consideration to be President Donald Trump’s next chief of staff.
Virginia Maloney
New York City Council Member Virginia Maloney has hit the ground running as chair of the Economic Development Committee. The Upper East Side lawmaker has made small businesses a priority, leading efforts that prepared them for this year’s FIFA World Cup tournament. Maloney, the daughter of former Rep. Carolyn Maloney, has also focused on workforce development. She worked at the city’s Economic Development Corp. during the Bloomberg and de Blasio administrations and was previously a product manager at Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
Craig Marcinkowski
Craig Marcinkowski took the controls at NUAIR in April, bringing over 25 years of experience in unmanned aerial systems and robotics to the organization fueling growth in New York’s drone industry. Marcinkowski is having a full circle moment in his career, since he helped craft the grant proposal that led to NUAIR’s creation and previously developed the first beyond visual line of sight drone test corridor in Ohio. NUAIR operates the Center of Excellence for Advanced Air Mobility at Syracuse Hancock International Airport and runs programs focused on drone economic development in Central New York.
Matthew McDonough
Matthew McDonough founded his eponymous law firm with the goal of moving transformative Long Island projects from the drawing table to the construction stage. He serves as counsel to local industrial development agencies and advises companies, developers and local governments on complex development initiatives. His work is paying off, as he was recognized with the 2025 James W. Griffin Rising Star Award from the New York State Economic Development Council. He is a former CEO of the town of Babylon IDA and serves as board chair of Jovia Financial Credit Union.
Randy Moore
Randy Moore uses philanthropy to spur economic growth through the CD&R Foundation, making strategic investments in nonprofits across the United States and United Kingdom to expand employment opportunities and workforce development. The New York-based foundation, the philanthropic arm of the private equity firm CD&R, awarded $4.5 million to five New York City organizations in June to address homelessness, construction workforce development, mental illness, youth development and technology education. With Moore at the helm, the foundation has awarded $50 million in grants since being founded five years ago.
Gregory Morris
Gregory Morris is New York City’s leading voice on workforce development. This year, the New York City Employment and Training Coalition partnered with Lyft to provide ride credits to job seekers, which proved so popular that it expanded in weeks. Morris also oversaw NYCETC’s Affordable Climate Economy report, which outlined green economy strategies that could create 360,000 jobs by 2040. NYCETC, which represents 220 organizations serving 200,000 New Yorkers, has also published research on the city’s workforce system and launched an Energy Efficiency Workforce Coalition.
Dee Dee Mozeleski
The City College of New York has been a driver of economic growth for New Yorkers for 179 years, and Dee Dee Mozeleski is continuing this tradition. She recently launched a new partnership between CCNY and New York Small Business Development Centers to open a regional entrepreneurship and small-business development center on campus, which connects the school with the surrounding Upper Manhattan community. Mozeleski also co-led the creation of the Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Initiative, which is a skills-based program for low-income New Yorkers.
Katie Newcombe
Katie Newcombe is positioning National Grid as an economic catalyst in New York. Last year, the energy giant’s economic development team completed 151 projects, driving almost $500 million in capital investment while supporting the creation or retention of 4,400 jobs statewide. National Grid is also supporting the $100 billion Micron semiconductor plant outside Syracuse and the $1.2 billion Chobani facility in the Mohawk Valley. Newcombe is a member of the New York State Economic Development Council board and the Capital Region Economic Development Council.
Anna Nguyen
Anna Nguyen and her team are managing a more than $5.6 billion economic development pipeline in Central New York. The region’s rebound is buoyed by the burgeoning semiconductor industry, anchored by a $100 billion Micron plant. By 2034, 1 in 4 American-made chips is projected to be produced within 350 miles of Central New York. Nguyen, who joined the business leadership and economic development organization CenterState CEO last year, also oversees the NY SMART I-Corridor’s Supply Chain Activation Network and supports unmanned aerial systems, advanced materials and agribusiness.
Mike Oates
Mike Oates knows that aviation connectivity is critical to a thriving Hudson Valley. Oates, who has led the nine-county Hudson Valley Economic Development Corp. since 2018, pushed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to develop a minimum revenue guarantee program for airlines to come to Stewart International Airport, which he argues would reduce risks for airlines and create new nonstop flights. HVEDC is active across Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, Greene and Columbia counties. Oates is also a member of the New York State Tourism Advisory Council.
Melissa O’Connor
Melissa O’Connor is the retail industry’s advocate in Albany. This year, she led a coalition of 25 business organizations opposing a new surveillance pricing law, arguing that it will limit the ability of retail businesses to offer discounts and promotions to consumers. At the same time, she stressed that the Retail Council opposes the use of surveillance pricing to raise prices. O’Connor has also been focused on public safety in recent years, pushing for new laws and funding to combat retail theft and helping reduce retail crime in New York.
Uzoma “Zo” Orchingwa
Uzoma “Zo” Orchingwa is putting formerly incarcerated New Yorkers on a path to productive careers. Orchingwa, a co-founder of the workforce development company Emerge Career, has partnered with the New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice on Next Mile NYC, which provides commercial driver’s license training to people who have been involved with the criminal justice system. Mayor Zohran Mamdani expanded the program to individuals on probation or on Rikers Island. Orchingwa also established partnerships with Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, the California Board of State and Community Corrections and the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency.
Nayan Parikh
Nayan Parikh is creating opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses in New York’s construction sector. He leads the National Association of Minority Contractors New York Tri-State Chapter, which has helped the growth of over 50 minority- and women-owned businesses. Parikh has also helped to expand Empire State Development’s Business Growth Accelerator program to Western New York and the Finger Lakes. Parikh is president of Ashnu International, a general contracting and construction management firm that has worked on projects for the New York City School Construction Authority.
Ashley Ranslow
Ashley Ranslow wants New York officials to know that the state’s small businesses mean business. She helped push Gov. Kathy Hochul to pay off the $7 billion unemployment insurance debt, thereby lowering small-business taxes, and backed the governor’s auto insurance reform agenda, which was opposed by the trial lawyer lobby. Ranslow also secured limits on lawsuits against small businesses that pay manual workers biweekly instead of weekly. As New York state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, she represents more than 11,000 small and independent businesses.
Sarah Reginelli
Sarah Reginelli sees potential in the city of Albany. As a strategic adviser to the city’s Liberty Park Innovation District team, she helped the project achieve master developer status and access up to $40 million from the state Championing Albany’s Potential Initiative. She was previously president and CEO of the Capitalize Albany Corp., where she facilitated $1 billion in private investment in the capital city. As Ostroff Associates, she worked with the New York State Economic Development Council to pass regulatory relief legislation as part of this year’s state budget.
Robert Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez is one of the state’s master builders. He is overseeing a Dormitory Authority construction portfolio of approximately 1,400 projects valued at over $15 billion, along with an outstanding bond portfolio of about $68.2 billion. He leads a number of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s key capital programs, including the NY SWIMS initiative to invest in public swimming infrastructure, NY BRICKS to build new recreational facilities and NY PLAYS to construct playgrounds. Rodriguez was previously New York’s secretary of state, a role in which he led a number of economic development programs.
Michael N. Romita
Michael N. Romita kicked off the year by forming the Westchester Economic Alliance, a partnership between his Westchester County Association and county government focused on fueling business growth. The alliance’s first initiative is Blueprint ’26, which will serve as a planning document to guide long-term local economic development. Romita has continued to emphasize housing development, telling newly elected local officials that it will determine business growth. Romita has led the Connect Westchester initiative to address digital equity, supported the life sciences economy and tackled healthcare workforce shortages.
Beth Rooney
Beth Rooney keeps one of the downstate region’s oldest economic engines, the Port of New York and New Jersey, sailing smoothly. Rooney has led the port, the East Coast’s largest, through record cargo volumes the past two years while overcoming supply chain challenges. She is advancing a 55-foot harbor deepening project, addressed major terminal infrastructure issues and oversaw roadway improvements. Rooney helped secure $344 million in federal Clean Ports Program funding to accelerate zero-emissions operations and has advanced long-term lease agreements with marine terminal operators.
Mark Schienberg
Mark Schienberg makes sure that the New York City metropolitan area’s franchised auto industry remains one of the region’s key economic drivers. New data from Schienberg’s Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association showed the industry generates $70.7 billion in annual economic activity, supports 69,300 jobs with $6.5 billion in wages and benefits, and provides $3.1 billion in annual state and local tax revenue. The organization’s marquee annual event, the New York International Auto Show, serves as an economic engine in its own right.
Tokumbo Shobowale
Tokumbo Shobowale is a university chief financial officer who goes beyond accounts payable and receivable. Shobowale is capitalizing on his New York City economic development expertise to bolster Fordham University’s economic impact. He helped launch the Bronx Green Jobs Center, a workforce development engine for the green economy, and an Ethical and Applied AI Hub. Shobowale served in city government as chief of staff to the deputy mayor for economic development and chief operating officer at the city’s Economic Development Corp., and currently is on the boards of the Regional Plan Association and Governors Island.
Ryan Silva
Ryan Silva has been on a hot streak this year. The Blueprint for New York, commissioned by the New York State Economic Development Council and the Public Policy Institute, was a catalyst for economic development policy this year. The report recommended having Empire AI review the state’s regulatory environment, modernizing the state environmental review process and appointing a regulatory czar in the governor’s office. Silva also advocated for more funding for several economic and energy programs, and his organization released a report on the economic impact of data centers.
Kyle Strober
For Kyle Strober, the path to building a better Long Island is a strong economic, housing and regulatory environment. Strober leads the Association for a Better Long Island, a regional real estate trade group representing major developers. He was the Long Island representative in a statewide coalition that successfully advocated for reforming the State Environmental Quality Review Act this year. He also advocated for modernizing local building departments in order to streamline and expedite permitting and pushed for the Long Island Investment Fund to support housing development.
Milan Tyler
Milan Tyler is using his legal chops to strengthen New York’s communities. The Phillips Lytle attorney represents local governments, industrial development agencies and other players at the intersection of government and finance. Tyler’s focus is on navigating federal and state tax legislation related to the issuance of public debt. His expertise includes general municipal obligations, housing development, assisted living facilities for older adults, the energy sector, 501(c)(3) organizations, special public benefit corporations and bonds.
Lisa Vollendorf
Lisa Vollendorf positions higher education as a way to develop a skilled workforce and spur economic growth. She is expanding partnerships between Empire State University and the United Federation of Teachers, Northwell Health and government agencies to build talent pipelines into the workforce. Under Vollendorf, the state’s only online public university has also launched 30 new workforce-aligned academic programs, along with a program to allow working adults to translate their work experience and past learning into credentials.
Jessica Walker
Jessica Walker is a champion of Manhattan’s small businesses and a foe of vacant storefronts. She has cultivated partnerships with major corporations to fund programs to support the borough’s rebounding small-business community, including a joint effort with Google on a Tech to Table AI accelerator. Walker, who represents more than 125,000 businesses through the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, recently unveiled Manhattan 2040, a long-term initiative for boroughwide economic growth. Walker serves on the Javits Center board and the New York City Regional Economic Development Council.
Kristen Wolfe
Kristen Wolfe knows the key to successful redevelopment projects is having local voices at the table – of every age and economic background. The Empire State Development official recently led extensive community engagement efforts for the Creedmoor Mixed-Use Project, educating local stakeholders and residents on a plan to bring over 2,000 new homes as well as community facilities, retail and open space to eastern Queens. She also has spearheaded local engagement on the Aqueduct Redevelopment Project, which will transform an old horse racetrack in Southeast Queens.
Ken Zebrowski
Ken Zebrowski has been fostering growth in the Hudson Valley economy for decades. The former Assembly member is now at Brown & Weinraub, the state’s top lobbying firm, where he is advising the One&Only Hudson Valley project, Optimum and a number of local governments in the region. He also serves as president of the Rockland Business Association, where he led a reorganization that has increased the group’s impact. He serves on the Rockland Community College board and the West of Hudson Transit Study advisory group, tackling key economic growth issues.
Correction: An earlier version of this post misspelled the name of Adriana Teitelbaum in a photo credit due to an inadvertent submission error.
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